For a Perth family, this Christmas season is marked not by festive joy, but by a desperate race against time. Four-year-old Harper Nicoll should be playing with her nine-year-old sister Akira and buzzing with excitement for the holidays. Instead, she is fighting for her life inside Perth Children's Hospital, her survival hinging on finding a perfect stem cell donor match.
A Devastating Diagnosis and a Rare Genetic Challenge
Harper was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia on October 8, 2025. The illness began subtly in August with recurring flu-like symptoms, unexplained bruising, and severe leg pain. Her mother, Stefii Nicoll, had a gut feeling something was seriously wrong. After pushing for a bone marrow aspiration, her worst fears were confirmed.
Harper began chemotherapy within days, and the family's world shrank to the confines of hospital isolation. She has spent only five days out of hospital since her diagnosis and will likely spend Christmas on the ward.
The biggest hurdle, however, is Harper's unique genetic makeup. Being of Maori and Italian heritage has made the search for a compatible donor extraordinarily difficult. Initial tests on immediate family were not a match, and so far, no ideal donor has been found on international registries.
The Urgent Search for a 10/10 Match
Doctors have set a critical deadline: they need to perform a stem cell transplant by January. "Ideally they want a 10 out of 10 match," Stefii Nicoll explained. The family admits they never anticipated how their mixed heritage would complicate the search, highlighting a significant gap in global donor databases.
"We've become so much more aware of the fact that there's a lot of mixed races that aren't accounted for," Ms Nicoll said. "I didn't think that being Maori and Italian was going to be difficult."
If a perfect match cannot be found soon, doctors will have to resort to a riskier haplo transplant, using a partially matched parent. The family finds it too difficult to contemplate what happens if that less-ideal procedure is not successful.
Resilience in the Face of Overwhelming Strain
Through the intense chemotherapy and confinement, Harper's spirit shines. "She's been very resilient," her mother says. "She understands that she needs to be here. She accepts it and does it." She still finds joy in music therapy and loves to dance in her hospital room.
The emotional and financial toll on the family is immense. Both Stefii and her husband Jordan have had to stop working to care for Harper, navigating a new reality of medical updates and profound uncertainty.
The family's plea is now directed at the Australian public, particularly young adults aged 18 to 35. Registering as a donor with Stem Cell Donors Australia is a simple act that could save Harper's life, and the lives of countless others in similar agonising waits.
For Harper Nicoll, a perfect match isn't just a medical statistic; it's the only hope for a return to being a bubbly, energetic little girl, and the gift of a future.
